Storm cruise past Orting for first state win

Squalicum’s football team just made a statement and the other seven schools in the quarterfinals might want to pay attention.

Christian Jorgensen was remarkably efficient, Josiah Westbrook made highlight reel plays and Damek Mitchell and the Storm front seven shut down Orting in a 45-7 Class 2A state tournament first round victory Friday, Nov. 14, at Orting High School. After becoming the first team in school history to make state, the Storm figured it might as well win a game or two while they’re here.

“It feels great,” Squalicum coach Nick Lucey said. “It’s a lot of fun to be on the ride with these kids, especially our seniors. They’ve put in their time and worked their tails off.”

A first-possession field goal by Quinn Carpenter put the Storm up 3-0, but after a three-and-out by the Cardinals, the Storm showed it’s passing proficiency.

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Jorgensen found Westbrook on a go route for a 63-yard score and it was off to the races for Squalicum, which was already up 10-0 less than nine minutes in.

It was the first of three scores between the dynamic receiver and the accurate quarterback and none of them were short TDs.

Westbrook scored a 47-yard catch and run in the second quarter to make it 24-0, running past five or six Orting defenders on his jaunt into the end zone. He added a 33-yard score, when he made two guys miss, in the third quarter to push the Storm lead to 45-7.

The junior receiver finished with four catches, three touchdowns and 163 yards.

“My other receivers were blocking down field. They had great blocks,” Westbrook said. “Christian gets the ball to me in really good places. He’s just a great QB.”

Jorgensen finished the game 12 of 16 for 279 yards and four scores, one of which was a 15-yard rushing touchdown.

“They came out in some man coverage, which tells us to throw the ball a bit around,” Lucey said. “Christian did a great job executing. Good things happen when we throw to our receivers.”

Nick Manchester also had two rushing touchdowns – a 19-yarder and a 30-yarder. He finished with 60 yards on six carries.

Orting’s lone score came with 4:28 left in the third quarter, when Josh Ellingson ran it in from three yards to make it 38-7.

What the Storm put up on offense was just about as good as what the defense did, which was headed by Mitchell’s three sacks and an interception.

Squalicum forced three three-and-outs, recovered a fumble and intercepted Orting quarterback Eddie Prong three times. Ben Peterson and Quinn Carpenter had the other two interceptions.